Norman Kirk

Norman Kirk (6 January 1923-31 August 1974) was Prime Minister of New Zealand from 8 December 1972 to 31 August 1974, succeeding Jack Marshall and preceding Bill Rowling. He was leader of the New Zealand Labor Party from 1964 to 1966 and Leader of the Opposition from 1965 to 1972.

Biography
Norman Kirk was born in Waimate, New Zealand on 6 January 1923, the son of a cabinet-maker, and he worked on New Zealand railways, joined the New Zealand Labor Party, and took part in local government, serving as Mayor of Kaiapoi from 1953 to 1957. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1957, and in 1965 successfully challenged Arnold Nordmeyer to the leadership of the parliamentary party. He became leader of the Labor Party the following year and, after two defeats, led it to a landslide victory in December 1972. He lifted wage and price controls, which triggered inflation. The encouragement of immigration, which led to an influx of 100,000 people from 1973 to 1975, led to large demands on state social spending on schools and social-security payouts. At the same time, state income was constrained through promises not to increase charges for state services such as the railways and the post office. This resulted in serious economic dislocations, which were aggravated further by the world recession which set in with the 1973 oil-price shock. Kirk won strong applause for his condemnation of French nuclear tests at Mururoa, but became very unpopular when he banned the New Zealand rugby team from going to South Africa in opposition to apartheid. In foreign policy, he changed the course of previous governments by withdrawing from the Vietnam War and from SEATO, as well as recognizing the People's Republic of China. He died after a brief illness, and was succeeded by Bill Rowling, who was defeated in the 1975 election.